Vortex Missing Diver Incident - Aug 2010

[ucfdiver]

8" is the width of a piece of paper?????

Watch this video about 2:17 in. It will show you how tight you can get without removing tanks. These guys are removing tanks, so it's smaller than that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIlreHwSm1g

SM caves are absolutely no joke. It's why I hate the idea of OW SM courses, or transitioning divers to SM so early, it's super easy to get places you don't belong.

 

[Imagineer7.1]

I have been reading over the two days. I knew Ben a few years back. In fact, I met my wife at one of his parties. It has been difficult to read some of the things posted on here, but I truly appreciate the dialogue that has been exchanged here. While I am only a recreational diver who has not been in the water for quite sometime, I can identify and respect the method in which the subject has been approached.

To everyone who has been involved with the recovery effort, I applaud your devotion and dedication to attempt what some may feel is unnecessary at this late hour. You are in my prayers.

To Ben's friends and family. I am deeply sorry for the loss all of you must feel at this time. I knew Ben to be an amazing individual and I know he will be missed by many.

Thanks again to the members at Scubaboard, not only has this been the best source of news for many, it has also been enlightening and educational for some (me) to try and understand what may have gone wrong.

Best,
J

 

[Kicker1866]

I spoke to one of the rescue divers that was on the scene the first day and I asked him what the deal was with the lock/key/gate issue. I was told that there was no problem with the Vortex lock...but evidently the hinge portion of the gate had been broken at some point and another lock or couple of locks had been used to create some type of make shift "door" that would open from the opposite direction, using the Vortex locked side as the hinge side. I am told that THIS is how he gained access to the cave....by using the hinge side as the opening side ...NOT using the Vortex lock or the Vortex key.

The diver was on site the first day and saw this.....is this what everyone else is referring to?
If so....this is odd. Very Odd. It would certainly create more questions for sure.

 

[Meister481]

I have been informed that Vortex is one of the only cave systems that require certified cave divers to lock the gate BEHIND them as they penetrate the cave system.

No, they ask you to false lock it, and to close the door behind you. I put the lock through one side of the chain, lock it and twist the chain around itself so it appears to be locked.

 

[Hetland]

Vortex Springs: Still No Sign of Missing Cave-Diver
Reporter: Meagan O'Halloran
Email Address: meagan.ohalloran@wjhg.com

Posted: 6:41 PM Aug 23, 2010
Vortex Springs: Still No Sign of Missing Cave-Diver

30-year old Ben McDaniel of Collierville, Tennessee, was last seen Wednesday night at Vortex Springs in Ponce de Leon. Divers are continuing to search for his body in an underwater cave that runs more than16-hundred feet.

Authorities have released the name of a diver, who's been missing since last week.

30-year old Ben McDaniel of Collierville, Tennessee, was last seen Wednesday night at Vortex Springs in Ponce de Leon.

Divers are continuing to search for his body in an underwater cave that runs more than16-hundred feet.

Specially trained search and recovery teams made their 4th dive Monday, trying to find 30-year old Ben McDaniel. The search turned up unsuccessful for the 4th day in a row.

McDaniel has been missing since Wednesday and the search has been on since Friday.

Authorities believe he died during an underwater cave at Vortex Springs.
They found what they believe to be McDaniel’s decomposition tanks staged 300-ft into the cave, but still no sign of McDaniel.

The state park’s map of the cave ends at 1450 feet.
Divers have already explored the cave well past that, pressing more than 1600 feet into the cavern.

Even though diving is a buddy-sport, the diver who went in on the 4th attempt went alone, because the conditions are becoming dangerous

"Some divers feel when they go beyond the normal point in the cave, it's better for them to be alone because the cave is so small and confined, and one person can barely go through it to start with. Another person would make more difficulty in turning around, backing up, or exiting the cave. Also, you have the situation where the more you stir up the water-- you have less visibility because of the sediment at the bottom of the spring" explains Capt. Harry Hamilton with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.

Last week dive shop workers confirmed they did not issue McDaniel a key to the locked gate at the opening of the cave but his family members claim McDaniel had extensive cave diving experience. They also say a Vortex employee left the gate open for McDaniel, who they say was negotiating with the park management to become a diving instructor.

The more time that passes, the more stories begin to surface.
The question has even been asked if McDaniel is even in the cave at all.

"There are all kinds of possibilities he could be somewhere else. Again, we want to rule out this one location and it's an extremely hard location to get to. At this time we don't see any signs of foul play; we feel like it's important to check this last location in the cave. We're exploring other options and other ideas, however it appears he planned to make a dive deep into the cave and possibly didn’t make it out" Hamilton says.

On Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office plans to bring in K-9 dogs to help with a more thorough search above ground.

Underwater recovery efforts will resume for a 5th attempt and authorities say they are even conducting a nationwide search for cave-diving experts.

McDaniel’s family is watching and waiting and hoping for answers.

There are 4-McDaniel siblings.

Paul, the youngest brother and an avid mountain climber, died of a stroke 2-years ago.
If Ben McDaniel is inside of the cave, he'll be the second to die an untimely death.

If you have any information that will help authorities in the McDaniel case, please call the Holmes County Sheriff's Office at 850-547-3681

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

How often do people go to the gate? Would something like this not have been noticed? Or would people assume it was a makeshift hinge? I cant imagine someone taking a chain and lock diving with them and rigging up the secure gate like that.

The gate was secured by three small lengths of chain. Two on the left that were bolted together. Those were the hinges. In 2000 (or around that time) I put those, or ones like it, there at the request of Danny and Mr Vic. The chain on the right is used to secure it with a lock. It would be very easy to unbolt the chains and place locks on the backside and out of sight. Most of us that dive it may just think it was done as an additional safety factor by Vortex. It is fairly crude, but works for the most part. Maybe that will shed some clarity on this issue.

 

[pattidives]

First, I find it unfortunate that the thread is turning angry. To those family and friends who are reading the posts please do not attack people who are trying to prevent this from happening to another person. It is a horrible situation, and one we can all sympathize with. However, this is an event that makes us all look bad, recreational and technical. We are not trying to be harsh.

His dive plan was posted on his Facebook profile. Like I said before, it was posted for a Monday dive. I'm not sure if that means he has done this particular dive before or if something come up for him to push it back to Wed. If the plan was accurate is was definitely one that I would never want to attempt especially not in a wetsuit.

"Mondays 8 tank deep penetration solo dive. I will post something on it later. To sum it up... 4 stage, 2 bottom, and 2 deco bottles for a 232 minute 148 ft deep cave dive with a total penetration to the end of system at aprox. 810 ft!!!!"

Hopefully this will help provide some info. Though I have neve been into the cave, I'm told his numbers were not correct.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

All the keys were accounted for at Vortex, I saw them myself.

I don't think the dive team today were local divers.

Actually, the diver who dove today, was more local than any of the divers who were there on Friday/Saturday aside from Jeff.

 

[mike_s]

My question is about his dive log and how it was available to be viewed. I ask this out of ignorance because I am not familiar with the dive log. Obviously this is something that every diver has and it must be very personal information for Ben to write about his trick with the lock/gate. Surely something with such incriminating info would not be left for anyone to view.

I've never thought of a dive log as "incriminating". But in this case it provided that he didn't have the training for the caves he was diving in it appears...


I doubt it was left in plain view.

but standard procedure for a missing person is for the authorities to search the missing persons vehicle for clues/evidence of them being missing. The dive log was most likely sitting in the vehicle. That's often where it's left, in the "dive bag" with the other gear not used.

most likely the authorities did not know how to decipher if the person was trained for the cave system by reading it themselves, but depended on "subject matter experts" at the scene that they routinely enlist for such recoveries. These are respected members of the dive community.

I'm sure several "subject matter experts" examined the logs and were all in concurrence on the status/state of his training (or lack of it).

Something like this is pretty routine procedure in the event of a diving death.


They would have also reviewed his logs for "dive profile" plans. This might indicate his gas planning (what gases he had), where he was going, estimated times in/out, locations/paths, etc. It would be used to narrow the search.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I have not been in Vortex for a number of years, so I may not remember it correctly, The restriction that this diver may be past, is it the fairly wide one that is only about 16 inches high? Also, are scrapes in the clay the only indication that he is past this very tight restriction? If it is the restriction I am thinking about, I am amazed anyone was able to squeeze through it. Condolences to family and friends, and best regards to IUCRR team members.

It is not a wide restriction. We have made it to the final restriction on the map.

An 8" gap?? Man, that is TINY. I don't see how they even think he could have squeezed back there at all!

I have been in 8 inch high passages. I used 7.25 inch tanks, but it is possible. Also, keep in mind that the floors of these passages are usually covered with silt that can be dug out to make the passage a little bigger.

At some point the body recovery is NOT worth the risk. Is the recovery team close to that point?

The search wasn't called off. A team just went down not too long ago.

Recovery efforts ended Saturday. One diver went in today to look one last time. The body was not found.

I don't think the dive team today were local divers.

You are incorrect.

Watch this video about 2:17 in. It will show you how tight you can get without removing tanks. These guys are removing tanks, so it's smaller than that.
YouTube - Sidemount diving in Rock Bluff

SM caves are absolutely no joke. It's why I hate the idea of OW SM courses, or transitioning divers to SM so early, it's super easy to get places you don't belong.

The passage in the video is pretty big.

Some of us are a bit confused by the nearly non-stop barrage of the accusations that Ben tampered with the lock or gate; however there was at least one person on site when the accident scene started as evidenced by the very first posting on the other forum. The poster clearly states, without hesitation and as a first party witness, the following: "Just then the new owner operator lady started talking and she stated the key to the gate was checked out on Wednesday by a male and it was never returned" It is implied that she has made this statement to a deputy sheriff, if so it is now a matter of public record and I will be filing to have the report sent to me straight away.

This overlooked fact is important for surely it speaks to the character of the person. It is one thing to overestimate one’s ability, but it is another matter altogether to willfully break the gate and enter anyway. If Ben checked the key out then obviously his intent was to enter and enter in the proper procedural way, if he lacked proper experience to do so then he should not have been given the key. If he forced the lock, this accident is then and only then what most of you have stated.

Having now read all posts by the original witness/first poster, I do not believe he has a propensity to embellish nor willfully lie therefore I for one believe what he has said, further at the time of his posting he was first on scene before any facts were known therefore there would have been no need or thought to cover up the fact that Ben legitimately checked the key out. Fast forward to now and there certainly would be a reason to cover this up as a man with no proper certification should not have been allowed to do so and in doing so negligence by the owner of the spring has been established.

It further seems to me that the largest body of discussion on the topic of the gate is nothing more than the regurgitation of something someone else has stated previously, going all the way back to the news conference and statement by Mark wherein he publicly stated that the lock had been jimmied. The fact is the lock may have indeed been jimmied but it is also true that the owner stated that Ben checked the key out on Wednesday. The lock may have been tampered with prior to Ben's arrival at the gate. I have also read that it was the hinge that was tampered with, what I would like to know is does anyone have any direct firsthand knowledge of exactly what happened to the gate or lock? And by first hand I do not mean a phone call, text, email or any other acquisition of this knowledge by any means other than looking at it with your own eyes or touching it with your own hands?

The first and mostly like scenario is that the original poster is exactly correct when he states that the new owner told the sheriff that Ben checked the key out and further that the owner is now fully aware of the liability of this statement and is doing everything possible to retract it and miss direct.

It is also true that if Ben did not in fact "jimmy" the lock that he is not quite the reckless individual that he is being painted as. He has done a whole lot more for his fellow man than most of his detractors on this board and his mark on this world will not be left in the cold darkness of a lonely cave, it won’t be left by how well he has expressed his point on an obscure forum read by those who leave their marks on this world in a cold dark and lonely cave either, it will be left by those who know this man, and by those who love this man and by those who have life today through his foundation.

In closing I would simply like to say that for the next man who wishes to attack this man, whom you do not know, please first post the resume of your life and tell us all how it justifies you in casting the first stone because as far as I know there isn’t a man walking this earth that has the right to judge this man but most assuredly hasn’t the right to justify or comment based on hearsay evidence, i.e. the tampering of the gate. If you can’t or won’t post this resume then at the least post what good in this world you have done that justifies the wanton hubris you possess in saying such things as you have about Ben. At the very least if you wish to state your opinion then you should at least have the courage of your convictions and be able to state them outside of your peer group, in other words come to Ben’s memorial and state your opinion there as well as well as what give you the right to say it. Absent that, you should all leave your discussions to accident prevention measures for the future of your sport and leave the comments of who he is as a person to those who know something about the person.

Regardless of what was previously posted, the gate was very obviously tampered with. Ben was also directly told about a month and a half ago by a cave diving instructor that he had no business going into an overhead environment without the appropriate training. So even if the key was signed out to him, he knew he didn’t belong in there.

So I just heard the diver that went down today didn't find anything. He said he didn't see any sign of anyone being that far in the cave. Where else could he be? Could the spring have carried him out? Didn't they think he was in a deep and extremely narrow space?

If he got wedged in a small solution tube, it’s possible the flow in that system could have blown enough silt around him to cover the body up by now. This is just speculation, but I have seen what high flow can do, and the flow in Vortex is high enough to clean out markings from backmount divers going through restrictions.

Who went today?

Edd.

I have diving sidemount for 23 years, and never seen anyone attempt an 8" gap.

I’ve gotten stuck in smaller. I know this because it was my 8 inch tanks that got me stuck. I had to go back with 7.25 inch tanks.

If location is identified, but recovery not possible, then what?

Do they close off a section?

No point in closing off the section where the body is possibly located since there aren’t many people that can get back there.

For those familiar with Vortex:
Are there any high ceilings or cracks close to the cave entrance or in the cavern area where a positively buoyant diver could be pinned? I wonder if the underside of the docks have been checked.
Its possible in a panic that he nearly found his way out but was either OOG, blew deco, or attempted a buoyant ascent.

We checked all of those areas.

"Mondays 8 tank deep penetration solo dive. I will post something on it later. To sum it up... 4 stage, 2 bottom, and 2 deco bottles for a 232 minute 148 ft deep cave dive with a total penetration to the end of system at aprox. 810 ft!!!!"

A perfect example of the wrong attitude.